How to Cut the Distractions and Think Creatively

You've probably noticed by now that I'm always collecting bits and pieces of creative advice. I love these little crumbs - I can't help myself. They eventually get cobbled together in my subconscious like some sort of Frankenstein's monster and then take on a life of their own, one that pushes me along in my artistic and literary quests.

After finishing up the day's writing, I was sitting here basking in the peace and quiet when I thought about all the people I know who try to fill every minute of their day with to-do list stuff or tasks for others. I used to be one of those people, but then I discovered how important it is to focus on the internal first (nurturing my creative side), and then the external parts of life second (chores, phone calls, etc.)

For me, this focus is best practiced when I have few distractions, which is not easy in a house with two kids and a handful of pets (and dirty dishes, laundry, a ringing telephone, and emails from editors - you get the picture.) Like Leo Babauta, I found that getting up earlier than everyone else was the best solution. Check out his "Creating Perfect Solitude for Creative Focus" and learn why giving up an hour of sleep might be the best thing you've ever done for yourself!

Artistic Freedom - The Unfounded Fear of Ritual and Routine

Image by Mags_cat via FlickrMy pal Dan Goodwin over at A Big Creative Yes recently posted this amazing article that describes exactly what building a creative routine can do for you artistically. His advice can (and should!) be used for any artistic medium - written, visual, kinetic, whatever.

If you're afraid of embarking on a whole year of making things, maybe Dan's explanation of the hidden benefits of such a project could change your mind!

Five Tips for Endless Artistic Inspiration

For many artists, ideas and inspiration seem to run in a relentless cycle of feast or famine. I've had my own experience with this - weeks of overflowing motivation and productivity followed by weeks of what I like to call "mud brain", the feeling like there's nothing left in your formerly creative mind but sludge.

After reading loads of self-help books, spending years practicing different approaches to nurturing creativity, and learning quite a bit from trial and error, I've compiled this list of tips that never fail to help me revive that waning artistic flame:

1. Pay attention. Sure, it sounds simple, but how much do you really notice in your environment each day? Can you see the brush strokes in the paint on your walls? What color is the dash in your car? Seeing some of these mundane details with "new" eyes can spark the inspiration to use a new color or texture in your work. Better still, these things can remind you of similar things you have seen or imagined before, allowing your mind to wander to the place where all great ideas come from.
2. Write things down. We all like to believe that our memory is fabulous and that any knock-your-socks-off idea that comes along will stick like glue. Don't make that mistake! Get in the habit of carrying a pen and paper and jotting down words or short phrases as they come to you during the day. My husband, always thinking outside of the box, even came up with the clever trick of writing on the shower tiles with a wax pencil. We all know that we get our best ideas at the strangest moments - catch them while you can!
   
3. Go play. I've noticed that most of us creative types tend to dry up when we push too hard to "get" good ideas. A great way to beat that sort of burnout is to do something just for the fun of it. If you are mostly stationary when you work, why not do something more physical like playing a good old-fashioned game of kickball? Running all over the place at work? Try something fun but more relaxing, like a hand of poker or a video game with friends. As soon as the pressure is off, the creative thoughts are likely to start flowing.
   
4. Collaborate. This tip could easily be paired with tip #3. The goal of a team project does not need to be lofty or important, it just needs to be something that has a clearly defined finish so everyone can celebrate when that goal is reached. Something magical and strangely magnetic happens when you put minds together to collaborate on a project - your brain will form at least three ideas for every one idea that's spoken. What should you do with those ideas? See tip #2
   
5. Whine, bitch, and cry, but by all means get it out of your system! If you're artistically frustrated, don't hang on to that feeling and let it fester, get it out in any non-destructive way you can find. My favorite "dump" for this kind of blockage is to write it out. Trust me, you lose a lot fewer friends this way than if you decide to call up a buddy and air your artistic grievances. Anne Lamott, Julia Cameron, Natalie Goldberg, and many other creators sing the praises of stream-of-conscious writing (not to be confused with a journal) each morning. Write down anything and everything that's bothering you, whether it makes sense at the time or not, for as many days as it takes to purge it all. Then, take a deep breath and greet your creative medium refreshed.

I hate to admit, but there is no instant fix, no magic bullet that is going to reset all of your inspiration switches and get you moving again. Creativity and inspiration are like plants that need constant care - you have to nourish them in order to collect a bountiful harvest.

5 Easy Ways to Stop Talking and Start Doing

I once organized a networking group for writers where folks could get together, learn from one another, and offer support to newcomers to the field. While there were a handful of published authors among the group, the majority of members were not. I found out rather quickly that most of them enjoyed having the dream of being a writer, but never got any closer to that dream.

Excuses were plenty, mind you, but that's all they were - excuses. "I just don't have enough time to write that novel right now" or "I had to work late, so I didn't get that story started this week" or "My kids were loud, so I figured I'd just start this weekend." The only thing these dreamers were doing was procrastinating! They were putting off their dreams for "someday" when there is absolutely no legitimate reason they could not be moving forward today.

Lots of these folks floundered for months, even years, before getting the first words written. You know what they had to say after that? "Why didn't I start last week/month/year/decade?" Because they were too comfortable procrastinating.

Does this sound familiar? If it does, it's time to break the procrastination habit and instead propel yourself toward your creative dream. Here are six simple things you can do now (not tomorrow!) to get you moving:

1. Work first thing in the morning. No matter what your medium, put in your creative effort first thing in the morning. This works because you're not likely to get bogged down with the mental clutter of daily life and burn down your fuse before you put in your YOU time.
2. Work for 10-15 minutes only. Another mental trick! There is far less to lose when you're only dedicating yourself to a small bite of time like this, and you're much more likely to commit if the work is quick and easy.
3. Break down large goals into smaller ones. Want to write a book? Make your goal today to write a paragraph. Yes, start that small and gradually work yourself up to loftier achievements like pages and chapters. You will build up a momentum of success that will make those larger goals easier to reach.
4. Reward yourself for meeting your goals. So you finished that paragraph? Have a chocolate. Finished that page? Go play at the playground. Humans thrive on praise, even when it only comes from yourself!
5. Make yourself accountable to someone else. You may not have a boss or an editor breathing down your neck for a finished product, but fear (or fear of embarrassment) can be a great motivator. It's also great to have a cheerleader on "the outside" to keep you going when you're on the upswing. Have a trusted friend agree to pester you about your progress. For an added bonus, have them hold a $20 bill hostage until you deliver the creative goods you promised.

I've done every single one of these things with my "Make Something Everyday" project and can attest to their performance!